|
|
 |
|
WOMEN'S & CHILDREN'S | Family Maternity Center | Pregnancy Resource Center | Pregnancy Library | Emotions | Emotional You: Therein lies the rub: What massage can do for you
Emotional You: Therein lies the rub: What massage can do for you
Short of hopping a plane to Hawaii for a week in the sun, a prenatal massage may be the answer to reducing stress and getting some much-needed relaxation. What exactly is prenatal massage? It's therapeutic bodywork that focuses on your special needs as a mother-to-be.
Massage is also a great way for your partner to feel part of the pregnancy and to share what's happening to you. Many times fathers-to-be don't know what they can do to help. They don't know how to share an experience that seems to be happening to the woman alone. With a bottle of unscented lotion and as little as 10 minutes in a quiet room, massage can bring partners together and improve the well-being of both.
Whether you seek out a massage therapist experienced in prenatal massage or turn to your partner for a more informal kind of massage, you should talk to your health care provider before proceeding.
Cautions about massage during pregnancy
- Avoid massaging the abdominal area during the first trimester. This is a crucial time for the baby's development.
- Avoid massaging legs and feet during the first trimester. This is because blood clots can form and massage could lead to release of clots that could travel through the bloodstream and harm mother or baby.
- Avoid lying flat on your back after the first 22 weeks of pregnancy. This is because lying on your back can put pressure on deep blood vessels. You should be looking at the wall, not the ceiling, during a massage, although a professional therapist may use a special pregnancy pillow that allows you to lie on your tummy during massage.
- Massage should not be performed if you have high blood pressure, morning sickness, vomiting, unusual pain, diabetes, fever, heavy discharge, or preeclampsia.
What can you do during the first trimester?
- Gently rub the temples and scalp.
- Rub the neck and shoulders and back.
If you are having a normal pregnancy and your doctor says it is okay for you to have prenatal massage, go to it. There several different techniques. They include:
- Efferleurage. This is slow, rhythmic strokes using the whole hand including palms and fingers. Increasing pressure is applied.
- Friction. Steady pressure or tight circular movements across the skin around the muscles. This is best in areas around joints.
- Vibrating. This involves electronic massage devices that are applied to sore or tense areas in a gentle way.
- Kneading
Massage provides many benefits
- Emotional support and nurturing touch
- Relaxation and improved sleeping
- Stress relief on weight-bearing joints such as ankles, lower back and pelvis
- Relief of neck and back pain caused by muscle imbalance and weakness
- Help in maintaining proper posture
- Preparing the muscles used during childbirth
- Reduced swelling in hands and feet
- Fewer leg cramps
- Relief from headache and sinus congestion
- Relief from anxiety caused by hormonal changes
- Relaxation of tense muscles and toning of loose muscles. Massage can increase muscular flexibility, which can be very helpful during the last trimester and during birth.
Date last reviewed: October 2002.
Back to top
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|